Cold plasma treatment devices and associated methods

Abstract

A compact cold plasma device for generating cold plasma having temperatures in the range 65 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The compact cold plasma device has a magnet-free configuration and an induction-grid-free configuration. An additional configuration uses an induction grid in place of the input electrode to generate the cold plasma. A high voltage power supply is provided that includes a controllable switch to release energy from a capacitor bank to a dual resonance RF transformer. A controller adjusts the energy input to the capacitor bank, as well as the trigger to the controllable switch.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cold plasma device, comprising:
 a cold plasma high voltage power supply including:
 a capacitor charging power supply having one or more command inputs; 
 a capacitor bank having one or more capacitors, the capacitor bank being coupled to the capacitor charging power supply; 
 a controllable switch coupled to the capacitor bank; 
 a double tuned RF transformer having, an input and an output, the input coupled to the controllable switch, the double tuned RF transformer configured to resonate at a first frequency and at a second frequency, wherein the resonance at the second frequency results, in part, from a capacitance of a transmission line coupled to the output; 
 a controller configured to provide commands to the one or more command inputs of the capacitor charging power supply, and to provide a trigger pulse to the controllable switch; 
 
 a housing having a high voltage electrical inlet port configured to receive a harmonic rich power signal from the output of the double tuned RF transformer via the transmission line; 
 a gas compartment disposed within the housing, wherein the gas compartment is an induction-grid-free environment, and wherein the gas compartment includes a gas inlet port to receive a gas flow of gas and a gas outlet port; and 
 an electrode disposed within the gas compartment, wherein the electrode is coupled to the high voltage electrical inlet port, wherein the electrode comprises one or more components configured to resonate at frequencies associated with the harmonic rich power signal, and wherein the electrode is configured to generate cold plasma for release via the gas outlet port, the cold plasma having a temperature in a range of 65 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. 
 
     
     
       2. The cold plasma device of  claim 1 , wherein the gas compartment further includes an induction grid coupled to the high voltage electrical inlet port to thereby interact with the gas. 
     
     
       3. The cold plasma device of  claim 1 , wherein the gas compartment further includes an induction grid coupled to the high voltage electrical inlet port, the induction grid being configured to provide ionization energy to the gas. 
     
     
       4. The cold plasma device of  claim 3 , wherein the induction grid is modular, and is associated with the gas and a treatment protocol, the modular induction grid being configured for easy insertion and removal from the gas compartment. 
     
     
       5. The cold plasma device of  claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises a noble gas. 
     
     
       6. The cold plasma device of  claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises helium. 
     
     
       7. The cold plasma device of  claim 1 , wherein the gas compartment further includes a magnet configured to at least partially direct the cold plasma. 
     
     
       8. The cold plasma device of  claim 1 , wherein the controllable switch comprises a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR). 
     
     
       9. The cold plasma device of  claim 1 , wherein the commands include one or more of an output voltage command and a frequency command. 
     
     
       10. The cold plasma device of  claim 1 , wherein the resonance at the first frequency results, in part, from capacitance of the capacitor bank and an inductance of a primary winding of the double tuned RF transformer. 
     
     
       11. A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a capacitor bank having one or more capacitors, energy from a capacitor charging power supply; 
 switching, using a controllable switch, a coupling between the capacitor bank and a double tuned RF transformer; 
 resonating, by the double tuned RF transformer, at a first frequency and at a second frequency to thereby provide a harmonic rich power signal, wherein the resonating at the second frequency results, in part, from a capacitance of a transmission line coupled to an output of the double tuned RF transformer; 
 providing gas to a gas compartment via a gas inlet port, the gas compartment being an induction-grid-free environment located within a housing having a high voltage electrical inlet port coupled to an electrode disposed within the gas compartment; and 
 providing the harmonic rich power signal to the electrode via the high voltage electrical inlet port to thereby generate cold plasma for release via a gas outlet port of the gas compartment, the cold plasma having a temperature in a range of 65 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, wherein the electrode comprises one or more components configured to resonate at frequencies associated with the harmonic rich power signal received via the high voltage electrical inlet port. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing, using a magnet, a magnetic field within the gas compartment to at least partially direct the cold plasma. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing the harmonic rich power signal to an induction grid via the high voltage electrical inlet port to thereby interact with the gas. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the gas comprises a noble gas. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the gas comprises helium. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 adjusting, using a controller, the switching using a trigger command to the controllable switch. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 adjusting, using a controller, the energy using an output voltage command to the capacitor charging power supply. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 adjusting, using a controller, the energy using a frequency command to the capacitor charging power supply. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the switching using the controllable switch includes switching using a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR). 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the resonating at the first frequency results, in part, from capacitance of the capacitor bank and an inductance of a primary winding of the double tuned RF transformer.